As a professor of English literature who currently teaches at the University in South Africa, Niko Shefer is an avid reader who is especially partial to the work of William Shakespeare. Reading can offer a wide array of benefits to people, some of which are less obvious than others.

​The following are all great reasons why you should pick up a book more often.

Your Learn More

Practically all books, regardless of whether they fall under the fiction or non-fiction categories, have the capacity to teach you something. Non-fiction books will usually be focused on specific topics, allowing you to learn more about them as your read. Even fiction books can help you to learn, particularly when it comes to expanding your vocabulary or developing an understanding of the world around you.

It Improves Your Writing

Many careers require people to be talented writers if they wish to get ahead. However, if you limit the amount that you read you may struggle pick up on the various writing techniques that will help you. Books will teach you an enormous amount about sentence structure, proper use of grammar and spelling, all of which will help you become a better writer.

Relieving Stress

We all experience stress at some point in our lives and ﻿Niko Shefer﻿ has found that escaping into a good book can often do a lot to relieve anxiety and clear your mind. Reading gives you the chance to focus on something that is removed from whatever is making you anxious, helping you to de-stress in the process.​